Coping with a terminal illness is one of the most difficult challenges life can throw at you, so it’s natural to have lots of questions around subjects like end-of-life care. This is particularly true if you’ve opted to receive care at home, which can lead to a number of questions in itself.
Sometimes, the questions you have aren’t even for yourself. Sometimes, you just want to know what to tell family and friends when they ask for information.
The different kinds of care available
Palliative care is never a “one size fits all” solution, so the type of care you or your loved one receives will depend on the individual need. Although traditionally many people think of palliative care taking place in hospices, receiving end-of-life care at home means that you’re able to choose from a few options depending on what suits you best.
Live-in palliative care provides you with 24-hour-a-day, 7 days a-week access to a specially trained health and social care professional. The carer lives with you and is always on hand to take overall responsibility for your care, including managing pain (and other symptoms), and offering emotional support and personal care if needed.
In this scenario, the carer will often become a companion and a friend, as well as to any visiting family members and friends. However, while your carer is available 24/7, they don’t have to be with you all the time, meaning you can still have private time with your loved ones.
Depending on your needs, you might prefer for carers to only visit for the times when you most need help, such as early in the morning or just before you go to bed. In this case, you will receive the same level of support but are free to live completely independently if you wish to.
By helping out with tasks, such as dressing, cooking and domestic chores, our carers can make your daily routine that much easier. Visiting care doesn’t just provide assistance, it can also improve self-esteem by increasing independence and reducing reliance on loved ones.
While respite care isn’t strictly a type of palliative care, if you have opted to be cared for by friends or family, respite care is a great way to ensure that they’re able to take some time away from their care responsibilities.
It’s worth noting that respite care is available as and when you want it. It may be that your loved one would prefer to spend some time with you, while someone else covers some of the day-to-day tasks that still need to be done.
We offer a range of care services across a number of locations, helping to ensure that people receive the care and help they need when they need it.
If you would like to find out more about our services, contact us via your local branch and a friendly member of our team will be more than happy to assist.
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